The adventures of one woman adding a little bit of yarnification to smalltown NZ, one little stitch at a time. . .

Sunday, February 6, 2011

How a Knit Graffiti "artist" was born. . .

Once upon a time there was a lonely tree root which jutted across a footpath leading to the Nelson Hospital grounds. Before long, a knitter stumbled upon this tree root and the "Health and Safety Officer" lurking deep within her decided "Something must be done!"

First that knitter thought to spray the tree root with fluorescent paint. Next she contemplated tying luminous warning tape to the root. Finally, she decided to get out her knitting needles and crochet hook to accompany some of the ghastliest yarn she possessed in deepest, darkest stash, in order to knit and crochet the root some recognition!!

Using two strands of yarn held together, that knitter knit a big floppy caterpillar body to wrap around the tree root. Then summoning all her long-neglected crochet skills she crocheted all around a tennis ball and lastly embroidered on some eyes and and a nose plus a big happy smile to make a goofy caterpillar head, complete with knitted antennae! The next weekend, in blazing Nelson sunshine and temps in the late 20s she deftly sewed the emerging caterpillar into place around the offending tree root and thus a Knit Graffiti artist was born.

That knitter was me, and this is the caterpillar that started it all on 5th February 2011, when the caterpillar was stitched into place and the newly formed Knit Graffiti "artist" emerged from her cocoon, still wet behind the ears and unaccustomed to flexing her wings. . .

Seems kind of fitting that my first piece of knit graffiti was a caterpillar and there's a whole "emergence/life cycle/re-birth/new-from-old" vibe going on. But it wasn't planned that way, it was simply that the root seemed to be begging to become a caterpillar and what else could I do but oblige?!

Thanks :) I am having great fun with this idea - my mind is racing thinking of what I can add a little yarnification to next! I came up with the "word" yarnification after thinking about a neologism to mean "beautification with yarn" - it works for me, anyway!

Laura, yes it should be relatively durable in the rain as it is 100% acrylic yarn so it shouldn't bio-degrade or fade at all. The caterpillar's head got a bit droopy after a few days but I did some running repairs and he is looking spiffing again, head held high!

Let us hope it doesn't find itself a mate and starts producing lots more roots which stick out to catch the unwary .... or just plain asleep among you! However I must admit I appreciate your originality. Keep up the good work!! Love Mum xx

Copyright

All the text, photos and pictures on this blog are copyright. That means I own them (unless I credit someone else,) but you are welcome to look! Please don't take my pics/photos/text without asking, cos that's just the same as stealing. But more stealthy. Maybe "stealthing"??

Share away on Twitter, Facebook etc and if you want to link to something on this blog from your website/blog that's fine with me, but I'd love you to let me know (cos I am nosy like that!)